S.W.A.T Seeking Revenge

[iLLest]

After losing a WSB last time I hit the surf, I was in search of some revenge. Once done with finals yesterday, first thing I did was check out the conditions. They didn’t look too great, but when you have an itch for fishing and begin to sleep in the fetal position because you miss it so much, it’s time to head out! I Oil’d up the reel, changed the hooks on the LC, charged the battery on the camera and went to put gas on the car so that its ready to go.

When I arrived to my honey hole, sure enough the swell was pretty strong. But it wasn’t constant; it came in intervals so in between the smashing swells came in a beautiful clear set of water. Instead of casting abundantly, I decided to go the selective casting route and it paid off nicely.

Data:

Date: Sat. 5/19/12
Duration: 5:30-10:30
Conditions: 2-3 ft swell. Incoming high tide.
Artillery: LC 110, Shimano Stradic 4000 & Shimano Convergence.
Breakfast of Choice: Homemade ham, egg and creamcheese bagel with a oj. Ha.

Total for Today:
1 - 21” Short Hali
1 - 28” Legal Hali, K.I.A
1 - Short Sand Bass

As the tide came in, the honey hole began to fill up!
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h322/swatsILLEST/DSCf0776.jpg

The day started off with a bunch of short bites. I knew the perch were around and I started to regret whether or not switching to size #4 hooks for the larger models was a good idea.

I casted into the hole and as I slowly retrieve I get struck real quick and sharp, and all of a sudden dead weight. No headshakes, no crazy pulls, no nothing. Puzzled as to what it could be, I brought it in carefully with the waves and as soon as it surfaced. BAM, pull after pull. I felt the power this sucker had on him. Patiently, I let him get tired and began to bring it in. As soon as it hit sand and the water receded, I thought I had landed my new PB. But…

It wasn’t meant to be. I went for the tail grab since I forgot my lip griper, HA! Bad mistake. I got a face full of sand. But I got the sucker to a safe zone and in came a 28” hali.
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h322/swatsILLEST/DSCF0781.jpg

He wasn’t very happy
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h322/swatsILLEST/DSCF0779.jpg

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h322/swatsILLEST/DSCF0780.jpg

The swell continued to pound then calm down, it was a chess game with Poseidon. I had to patiently wait for those perfect pockets of calm water to come in. On one of those perfect pockets, I get nailed again. This guy put up no fight whatsoever, and for this spot, I’d say it’s quite weird to see a short sand bass. They don’t run too often here.
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h322/swatsILLEST/DSCF0788.jpg

Mug shot.
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h322/swatsILLEST/DSCF0789.jpg

Shortly after, I get bit again. BAM, headshakes…this time I know exactly whats coming in. Surprisingly, this guy took some drag and put up a better fight than the 28”er.
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h322/swatsILLEST/DSCF0786.jpg

While I went for the tail grab, he busted multiple ninja hops and managed to hook two of the treble hooks on my Body Glove boots while he was still hooked! So there I am moving back to the safe zone on one foot, while dragging the halibut on the other lol.

The damage. Luckily they didn’t pierce into my waders, that would have sucked.
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h322/swatsILLEST/DSCF0785.jpg

Called it a day after this incident + the swell picked up.
Went home happy. You know you did something right when the fish barely fits in the cooler
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h322/swatsILLEST/DSCF0794.jpg

Once home, I measured the hali with a wet measuring tape so that it sits flat and it read 30”.
What the hell? I thought theyre suppose to shrink not grow? Lol The added inches is due to the stiff mouth, it wouldve matched my PB! next time. ;)
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h322/swatsILLEST/DSCF0796.jpg

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h322/swatsILLEST/DSCF0798.jpg

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h322/swatsILLEST/DSCF0797.jpg

Fun day over all, although I didnt manage to stick a WSB, who's going to say no to a legal hali?
Good luck to my SWAT bros heading out there tomorrow.
Personal congrats to NippleTwister for his accomplishment.
Welcome to SWAT bro!

Debriefing Complete.
Tight lines.

[Lucky Lager]

nice job!
i'm hoping to have some luck like that tomorrow up in carpinteria. headed up there with the fam, so i figure i'd sneak in some 'butt hunting ;)
gonna try to get my son on some bsp too

[SP Dan]

Hi ya iLLest,

Congratulations on that sweet Hali! :Thumbs Up:

I am presently up at Big Bear Lake for a week, fishing after the not too elusive trout and still practicing our CPR creed.
It's rather difficult to get too excited over these miniature cousins to it's larger modeled salt water relatives. :Envious: But at least I'm fishing and having a great time with my gal Rhonda. :Big Grin:

I still have a need to hook-it-up with you this season down your way!
So....until I can make my way down there.....try to leave just one of those larger models in the waters for me....okay!?!? :Wink: ha ha ha!

Thanx for the fun read with pic's! :Cool:

SP Dan <"))><

[Which Way Out]

Hey Frank Congrats
Great story and pic's. That's a nice looking HB and could be a perfect guest to any Memorial Day BBQ next weekend. :Smile: Enjoy and when you get a chance, get back out after that WSB with your name on it.

Best of luck
WWO

[Mr_Dunev]

Woah Frank!!!!

Awesome Report!!!! That is one Beautiful Halibut you caught there! I am glad you decided to go out despite the conditions. Funny how sometimes my best days are the days that seem the least promising, but when the waves are calm and water is clear SKUNK hahaha:LOL: Glad you didn't get a hole in your waders, I got one in mine right now, just waiting for the "right" time to send them in. (2 week turn around :Sad:)

I love the too big for the cooler shot! Always a classic, and it means your doing something right.

Thanks for the report and pics,
Lucas

[sumojo]

Great report and picks on them hook ups on them Hali

[Newfishsmell]

Glad to see you made it out. sleeping in the fetal position ain't cool ... :Cool:
Lol ... Looks like you got some sweet revenge !!!

[PONTOON]

Frank,

I'm glad to hear you had a productive day. I had to laugh about the fact that we got the report of your catch while we were on a mission of our own several miles away. That S.W.A.T. Spy Drone doesn't miss too much.:Cool:

I'm looking forward to more of your reports this year as this season has already started out with numerous personal bests being reported. Hope to cross paths with you soon but in the mean time I'm keeping an eye on the drone reports.:Thumbs Up:

[frankjz]

Great looking fish! Thanks for the detail and the very good pictures. It's always surprising the way a fish will fight, big fish, small fight and the reverse. Odd.

fz

[murrieta angler]

FRANCISCO!!!!
Great looking fish Bro...:Big Grin:
I wish I could have been there with you but as you know, I had a private mission of my own with our newest S.W.A.T. Brother...:Smile:
Now that scholl is about over we will have lots of good times ahead of us.
The water is only getting warmer and the fish will get bigger.
Thanks for the nice report and pics,
Robert
<><

[bachiboy]

Great job man...damage boots and all! I was with Robert when he got the word of your fish. Nice to hear that there was some carnage going on. Congratulations!

Don

[iLLest]

Hi ya iLLest,

Congratulations on that sweet Hali! :Thumbs Up:

I am presently up at Big Bear Lake for a week, fishing after the not too elusive trout and still practicing our CPR creed.
It's rather difficult to get too excited over these miniature cousins to it's larger modeled salt water relatives. :Envious: But at least I'm fishing and having a great time with my gal Rhonda. :Big Grin:

I still have a need to hook-it-up with you this season down your way!
So....until I can make my way down there.....try to leave just one of those larger models in the waters for me....okay!?!? :Wink: ha ha ha!

Thanks for the fun read with pic's! :Cool:

SP Dan <"))><

What's up Dan, Thanks for the kind words.
Glad your having a blast targeting those freshwater fish and chillin with Rhonda, cant get mush better than that.
We'll hook up soon enough, I owe you one for our mix up last time lol.


Hey Frank Congrats
Great story and pic's. That's a nice looking HB and could be a perfect guest to any Memorial Day BBQ next weekend. :Smile: Enjoy and when you get a chance, get back out after that WSB with your name on it.

Best of luck
WWO

WWO,

Thanks bro! Unfortunately this fish didnt make it to Memorial Day Weekend :( It got devoured tonight! hahaha. I took pics of the Iron Chef's halikabob in action but my mini SD card on my camera is starting to act up. Im going to have to check it out soon. That WSB is out there and has my name on it....soon enough bro, hopefully lol.


Woah Frank!!!!

Awesome Report!!!! That is one Beautiful Halibut you caught there! I am glad you decided to go out despite the conditions. Funny how sometimes my best days are the days that seem the least promising, but when the waves are calm and water is clear SKUNK hahaha:LOL: Glad you didn't get a hole in your waders, I got one in mine right now, just waiting for the "right" time to send them in. (2 week turn around :Sad:)

I love the too big for the cooler shot! Always a classic, and it means your doing something right.

Thanks for the report and pics,
Lucas

Whats up Lucas,
(Glad to meet you last time BTW)

Oddly enough, lately when the tide isnt at its best, is when I've been more productive in landing the hali's. I've gone out on perfect conditions, I mean PERFECT. Nice and warm day, flat swells, nice tide, clean water and no salad....what do I catch, a big o skunk! lol. Then, I go out on overcast, cold, murky water, full of salad, shore pound and what do I pull out? legal hali's, PB perch, YFC and lost WSB. I dont get it, but from now on, Im only heading out if the conditions suck! hahaha.




Great report and picks on them hook ups on them Hali

Thanks bro! ;)


Glad to see you made it out. sleeping in the fetal position ain't cool ... :Cool:
Lol ... Looks like you got some sweet revenge !!!

NFS, when you sleep in the fetal position, you've gotta head out before it gets worse! lol. I managed to get SOME revenge, but that WSB is still avoiding me. :( Only makes me want to head back out there again. Gotta love fishing.


Frank,

I'm glad to hear you had a productive day. I had to laugh about the fact that we got the report of your catch while we were on a mission of our own several miles away. That S.W.A.T. Spy Drone doesn't miss too much.:Cool:

I'm looking forward to more of your reports this year as this season has already started out with numerous personal bests being reported. Hope to cross paths with you soon but in the mean time I'm keeping an eye on the drone reports.:Thumbs Up:



Haha Terry!
That S.W.A.T drone doesnt miss anything! gotta love it.
Nice seeing you get a chance to hit the surf, and you got a PB as well right? sweet job bro!
Ill see you soon on the trenches. ;)


Great looking fish! Thanks for the detail and the very good pictures. It's always surprising the way a fish will fight, big fish, small fight and the reverse. Odd.


fz
Thanks man. :)
It's crazy, it has happened to me a couple of times where I land a big fish and all I get is dead weight. Sometimes even think its a bag or some kelp and as soon as it breaks surface, it starts going crazy. But its those medium sized suckers that put up a nice fight. Gotta respect their strength.


FRANCISCO!!!!
Great looking fish Bro...:Big Grin:
I wish I could have been there with you but as you know, I had a private mission of my own with our newest S.W.A.T. Brother...:Smile:
Now that scholl is about over we will have lots of good times ahead of us.
The water is only getting warmer and the fish will get bigger.
Thanks for the nice report and pics,
Robert
<><

Thanks Roberto.
No worries on not being able to make it, you had a mission on your own to put NT on a fish, and you put him on a very nice fish. lol
I'll be seeing alot of you bro, take care man and see you soon. :D



nice job!
i'm hoping to have some luck like that tomorrow up in carpinteria. headed up there with the fam, so i figure i'd sneak in some 'butt hunting ;)
gonna try to get my son on some bsp too

Whats up LL.
How did carpinteria go for ya?
Butt hunting is always nice, specially if you can sneak some time in while your with the fam.
There's been times I head out with my GF's family to a local beach and I try to stick a hali so that they can see how I usually fish, but most of the time it's a perch fest. haha. Regardless, its always fun. I hope you did well out there man!


Great job man...damage boots and all! I was with Robert when he got the word of your fish. Nice to hear that there was some carnage going on. Congratulations!



Don

Thanks Don,
Yeah that fish got me pretty good. I've never seen a hali do ninja jumps like that.
Now that I think of it, I should have taken some pics of the hali on one of the treble hooks while the other two hooks are on my boot. It was a sight to see! Next time :) lol

[Wingnut]

Excellent solo session Frank. :Thumbs Up:
My Blackberry was blowing up all weekend with successful missions updates... awesome. :Big Grin:
Congrats on the nice Halibut, this fish shot you up the S.W.A.T. Challenge Leader Board to 2nd Place bro. We have our work cut out for us if we're going to catch Lieutenant Bones. :Envious:
Those Halikabobs pics you sent me looks great... post them up!
Mike & I had a decent day out there on Sunday, I'm working on the report. :Wink:

[troublehook]

Sweet revenge indeed, nice looking Flatty. SWAT comes thru again. :Envious:

[Nipple Twister]

.....have really enjoyed reading your reports and as Don said we heard of your success, impressive Sir
:UDaMan:

Thx for sharing and the congrats ........

[fish_sauce]

What halikabobs?! I want to see some halikabobs!

Congrats on the successful outing Frank, it's good to see all that hard work paid off! I'll have to meet up with you and the guys mid or late June for a surf session after I get back from a short trip to Virginia. Until then, good luck and be safe out there! =)

Andrew

[bsp]

Frank,

Great to see you back in the surf! I know you had a hiatus for a while, but you've come back with a vengeance bro. Definitely a great fish to put on the sand, and you'll stick that WSB next time.

Marc